scholarly journals The Impact of Outside Social Support on EFL Iraqis Learners’ Motivation at University Level

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 103
Author(s):  
Khaldoon Waleed Husam Al-Mofti ◽  
Juma’a Qadir Hussein
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
English Language ◽  
College Of Education ◽  
Statistical Correlation ◽  
Motivation To Learn ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Future Income ◽  
University Level ◽  
The Impact

There are many reasons for learning a foreign or a second language. It might be for some learners, a kind of future income; while for others, it is only a hobby to learn about a new culture of a foreign country. The present study aims to investigate what factors play in learning English language. This paper also highlights the influence of the factor of outside social support such as good income job on the other factors of motivation. Data were gathered through scale questionnaire distributed to 60 EFL learners and 10 semi-structured interviews with randomly selected students from two different departments of English in two colleges, College of Arts and College of education for humanities at Anbar University, Iraq. The data were analyzed using SPSS tool.  The results indicated that the motivation to learn English varied according to students’ intentions, goals and, attitudes towards learning. In addition, it shows a clear statistical correlation between the outside social support – finding better career and future opportunities and goal factors. Henceforth, the outside social support appears a significant contributor to the motivation of the EFL Iraqi learners.

scholarly journals The Impact of Social Support on EFL Learners’ Motivation at Iraqi Kurdistan Universities

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad Yahya Abdullah ◽  
Khaldoon Waleed Husam Al-Mofti
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Student Motivation ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Social Factor ◽  
Motivation To Learn ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Motivation Level ◽  
The Impact

There are many reasons standing behind the fact why non-native speakers study English as a foreign language. For some, the aspiration to be a foreign language teacher or the ability to use English at work is the main reasons and driving factors, while for others the reason is simply to pass the course requirement at schools and universities. The present study aims to evaluate student motivation level and the factors influencing motivation. This paper will also highlight the influence of the factor of social support on the other factors of motivation. Data were gathered through likert scale questionnaires distributed to EFL learners of English in two different universities in Kurdistan region of Iraq and semi-structured interviews conducted with a number of students who have been selected randomly. The results indicated that the motivation to learn English is not dominated by one factor; however, the factors of goals, intention, and outside social support appear as the most influenced factors. Also, there was a statistically significant parallel correlation between the outside social support and goals factors. Consequently, the outside social factor appears as a significant contributor to the motivation of EFL Kurdish learners. 

scholarly journals Learners' attitudes and motivation to learn english

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ιρέν Χοβανισιάν
Keyword(s):  
Primary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Sixth Grade ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Motivation To Learn ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

The aim of the present study is to examine attitudes and motivation to learn English among Greek learners of the sixth grade of primary school and the third grade of lower secondary school in relation to variables such as age, gender and language attainment level. What is more, this study seeks to explore the extent to which Greek learners are aware of the concept of English as an International Language (EIL) and their attitudes towards and motivation to learn EIL or at least to incorporate some EIL-related features into their English language learning.The data were collected in 27 state schools (13 primary schools and 14 lower secondary schools) in the eastern and western parts of Thessaloniki, Greece. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were adopted with the overall number of 1,142 survey respondents and the total of 31 interviewees. The data elicitation tools employed were a 71-item attitude/motivation questionnaire, which explored learners’ attitudes towards English, towards learning English at school, towards the native speakers of English and learners’ motivation to learn English for a plethora of reasons; the Oxford Quick Placement Test, which measured the respondents’ language attainment level; and a concise questionnaire used for the short semi-structured interviews. The results of the study highlight that age is the most influential variable across almost all attitude/motivational variables, in which young learners are reported to have more positive attitudes and a higher level of motivation. With regard to the impact of proficiency level, more proficient learners have more positive attitudes towards English and are motivated to learn English for instrumental reasons and for personal enjoyment. In addition, the results show that gender is not influential, and this finding leads to the assumption that, with special reference to English, attitudes and motivation seem to have become gender-neutral. The qualitative data obtained from the short interviews amplified and enriched the findings of the study by providing a more insightful and detailed picture of the learners’ attitudes and motivation.Suggestions for future research and a number of pedagogical recommendations are made on how to increase and sustain learners’ attitudes and motivation and to raise learners’ awareness of EIL, based on the findings of the present study.

scholarly journals Assessment Challenges & Impact of Formative Portfolio Assessment (FPA) on EFL Learners’ Writing Performance: A Case Study on the Preparatory English Language Course

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 161
Author(s):  
Md. Jahangir Alam ◽  
Tahmina Aktar
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Portfolio Assessment ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Intensive English ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Writing Performance ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
The Impact

Present study aimed to explore the impact of formative portfolio assessment on Saudi EFL learners’ overall writing performance. The study reviewed literature of prevailing assessment challenges including the formative role of portfolio assessments to develop an understanding of the nature of assessments and various issues related to assessment practices. The current research applied formative portfolio assessment (FPA) technique as an intervention material in the ongoing preparatory Intensive English Language course and utilized semi-structured interviews to elicit qualitative data from students. The findings of the study suggest: formative portfolio assessment inspires autonomous learning among students by empowering them taking more control of the learning and assessment process.

scholarly journals The Effectiveness of Communicative Speaking Activities on EFL UNRWA 9 graders’ Motivation from Teachers’ Perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 01-08
Author(s):  
Ahmed Naim Hamed Abu Sharkh
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Motivation To Learn ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Points Of View ◽  
Communicative Activities ◽  
Teachers Perspectives ◽  
The Impact

The current study attempts to investigate the influence of communicative speaking activities on motivation of the UNRWA 9th graders to learn English as a foreign language (EFL) from teachers ‘points of view. Conducting qualitative analysis, the researcher uses semi-structured interviews in order to get data of the study. The 'Behaviorism Theory' by the behaviorist P.F. Skinner is the theoretical framework of the study. Twenty EFL instructors, 10 males and 10 females, participated in the present study from five UNRWA schools in Gaza. The study finds that communicative speaking activities increase learners` motivation to learn EFL especially when the learners engaged effectively in such activities that also, according to the most majority of the interviewees, increase their level of achievement, a solid correlation between communicative speaking activities and the increase of EFL learners` motivation to learn EFL. The researcher recommends adopting various communicative activities, by EFL instructors, to motivate learners to learn EFL through the main four skills, setting up training programs, by MOE, for EFL instructors to train them how to foster learners` motivation through communicative activities and conducting further researches to investigate the impact of communicative listening, reading and/or writing activities on learners` motivation to learn EFL.

Tertiary English-majored Students’ Perceptions toward the Role of Pronunciation in English Language Learning and their Practicing Strategies

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 264-279
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
The University

Accurate pronunciation has a vital role in English language learning as it can help learners to avoid misunderstanding in communication. However, EFL learners in many contexts, especially at the University of Phan Thiet, still encounter many difficulties in pronouncing English correctly. Therefore, this study endeavors to explore English-majored students’ perceptions towards the role of pronunciation in English language learning and examine their pronunciation practicing strategies (PPS). It involved 155 English-majored students at the University of Phan Thiet who answered closed-ended questionnaires and 18 English-majored students who participated in semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that students strongly believed in the important role of pronunciation in English language learning; however, they sometimes employed PPS for their pronunciation improvement. Furthermore, the results showed that participants tended to use naturalistic practicing strategies and formal practicing strategies with sounds, but they overlooked strategies such as asking for help and cooperating with peers. Such findings could contribute further to the understanding of how students perceive the role of pronunciation and their PPS use in the research’s context and other similar ones. Received 10th June 2019; Revised 12th March 2020; Accepted 12th April 2020

scholarly journals From Instructed Writing to Free-Writing: A Study of EFL Learners

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824402110071
Author(s):  
Saleh Alharthi
Keyword(s):  
Control Group ◽  
Writing Program ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Writing Assignments ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Free Writing ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Structured Writing ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

Writing is an intricate process that encompasses various factors and is a key skill for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. Thus, writing assignments are vital for any curriculum. One of the essential aspects of effective writing includes good grammar knowledge. Advocates of process writing argue that a free-writing journal is a practical approach to teaching EFL students writing. This study is intended to examine the impact of the free-writing journal on EFL learners. This study was conducted on 80 students from a writing course at the University. Thirty-five students were randomly selected to join the free-writing program—the experimental group—and 45 students were kept in their regular structured writing program—the control group. The experimental group selected topics of interest to them and was encouraged to write in English freely without concern for errors, whereas the control group followed a regular structured writing program where the topics were selected for them and they wrote following a clear guideline. Five major areas were investigated to evaluate students’ progress: the number of words written, spelling, capitalization, subject-verb agreement, and punctuation. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 students of the experimental group to elicit their perception of the free-writing program. According to the analysis, students in the free-writing program acquired better grammar acquisition than the control group. The researcher also observed students’ perception of free-writing at the end of the study and found that free-writing improved their writing skills.

scholarly journals The Impact of Mediation on EFL Learners’ Interpretation

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 197
Author(s):  
Mandana Yousefi
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Peer Mediation ◽  
Language Test ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Paired Sample ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Effective Role ◽  
English Language Institute ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

<p><em>The present study was an attempt to examine the EFL intermediate learners’ interpretation performance in translating texts from English to Persian on mediated mode vs. non-mediated one focusing on two different kinds of mediation (clip-mediated vs. peer-mediated mode). It has also investigated the participants’ attitudes toward the mediation sessions. It was conducted in an English Language Institute in Bojnourd, Iran. To this aim, a standardized 50-item Nelson English Language Test was administered to 31 participants. Following the homogenizing procedure, the number of the participants decreased to 24. Then, they were randomly divided into two equal groups (control and experimental), each consisting of 12 students. Both groups took part in interpretation classes twice a week, during which the experimental group received mediation as the treatment. The collecte</em><em>d data were analyzed by conducting ANCOVA and paired-sample t-test. </em><em>The results indicated that the EFL learners’ interpretation performance was better in mediated mode vs. non-mediated one, and peer-mediation was more effective than clip-mediation in improving their listening performance. In addition, all the participants stated </em><em>mediation had an effective role in improving their interpretation performance by reducing their anxiety and increasing their self-confidence.</em></p>

scholarly journals The Students’ Attitudes towards the NESTs versus NNESTs and their Impacts on the Students’ Motivations to Learn English Language at KAU

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-35
Author(s):  
Haneen Saad Al Muabdi
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
English Language ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
King Abdulaziz University ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Native English Speaking ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Native English Speaking Teachers ◽  
The Impact

Motivation is one of the crucial aspects of second language acquisition. Students’ motivation can be influenced by their teachers. The present study aims to investigate the impact of the two types of teachers on EFL learners’ motivations to learn English. These are NESTs (Native English-speaking teachers) and NNESTs (native English-speaking teachers). Hence, it examines learners’ attitudes and perceptions towards the two types of teachers. This study employed a mixed method by distributing a questionnaire contains quantitative and qualitative tools. It consists of twenty items of Likert scales and two open-ended questions. The present study subjects are 31 female students at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The results of the study demonstrate that learners have a positive attitude toward NESTs and NNESTs. Despite that, the tendency to learn with NNESTs is higher than NESTs. The findings also show that both types of teachers motivate students to learn English. Moreover, it suggests that the methodology and teachers’ personalities are more important than the teachers’ nativeness.

The interplay of avatar identities, self-efficacy, and language practices

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian Chen
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Life ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Language Practices ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
The Impact

Abstract This study intends to examine English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ attitudes toward practicing English in Second Life (SL) and to unpack the effects of avatar identities on EFL learners’ sense of self-efficacy and language practices. Nine EFL learners worldwide participated in a task-based course in SL, using avatars to carry out SL-related tasks while interacting with peers and the teacher via voice chat. Qualitative data were triangulated from multiple sources: learner reflective journals, a post-course survey, and semi-structured interviews. Three major themes emerged: (1) the effects of masked identity on learning, (2) the impact of telepresence and copresence on learning, and (3) the perceived attitudes toward avatar affinity. Findings implicate that the avatar form renders masked identities to safeguard learners’ self-efficacy and empower their language practices. It also opens up a research avenue on the impact of avatar identities on language learning and teaching in 3D virtual environments.

Exploring EFL Learners' Preferences, Perceived Needs, and Perceptions about Language Learning Strategies

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 1128
Author(s):  
Maryam Alsadat Mortazavi ◽  
Hamed Barjesteh
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Experience ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Perceived Needs ◽  
Academic Level ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

This study was to investigate the impact of language experience and academic level on the perceived needs of Iranian undergraduate EFL learners. Two groups of Iranian TEFL female students (freshmen and senior) were compared regarding their preferences, perceived needs and perceptions of different activity types about language learning. To collect data, Sihong's (2007) needs analysis questionnaire for English language needs was utilized. Thirty two freshman and twenty nine senior MA students with the age range of 25-35 were considered as the subject of this study. They were asked to fill out the questionnaire through email and they were given the confidence that the collected data would remain anonymous. Results revealed that there was a significant difference between freshman and senior EFL learners in their preferences, needs and opinions about various types of activities, and various aspects of language education. The findings also revealed that freshmen students required more practice in grammar and pronunciation than vocabulary for them. The most difficult components of language were pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar respectively; however, the senior students reported that vocabulary and grammar were the most difficult component of language skill and pronunciation was the least one.

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